Blockchain

Some early thoughts on the blockchain by way of a series of recent articles by Ben Thompson and others.

A collection of ideas and curiosities about science and technology.

The algorithm that made Bitcoin possible provides a handy fix for the all-too-human problem of trust. Imagined to its extreme, it might make possible the libertarian’s wet dream: the end of the nation state. Gulp.

The dawn of the anthropocene is forcing us to confront the full extent of our impact, beyond the physical destruction of habitat, to include social and cultural impact across species. What are the implications?

For those who believe in the theory of the 'great stagnation', the enduring B52 is probably its most iconic attestation. A superb example of good design and engineering but, alas, it also feels like a failure of progress.

As we increasingly operate according to the algorithms and information architecture of the internet, we learn not only to write like computers, but think like them too.

How will we manage the process of transition to increased automation? The interesting problem of human-centered design and automation, analyzed through the lense of the AF447 crash.

People tend to speak colloquially about their “internet addiction.” A closer look at our online activity, however, shows all the signs of compulsive behavior.